Sinclair Ferguson, pastor of 42 years to date of the video and professor, gave a short snippet lesson at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors in 2014 about the life of pastoring, highlighting the Greek and biblical concept of telos (aim, goal) and its relationship to pastoring, the church, and Christ. Watch and listen to the below video to learn of mistakes and wisdom to pastor or learn what to look for in pastors and churches. Listen to how Ferguson references the centrality and aim (telos) of the church being love understood from the verse and context of 1 Timothy 1:5.
Ferguson rightly connects truth and love, with many pastors and churches struggling to understand the connection in relationship to people, including preaching. Pastors can easily become disconnected from others thinking that just preaching truth is love, but Ferguson explains how this falls short and fails to pastor people to and in Christ to be a community affected by truth and love. Ferguson's explanation can really become an intro video to men desiring to pastor and a help for churches seeking to raise and train up healthy pastors.
Men trained up among a community centered on God who are humbled by Christ, empowered by the Spirit to hold fast to truth lovingly, will see pastors raised up with faith in Christ, desire to pastor, character that loves, competence to hold fast and teach, and capable to serve.
